[Blog Entry] Independence Day, Work, Job Lust, Gaming All Week
Independence Day
"I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans." That was what Manuel Quezon, the first Philippine Commonwealth president said. I wonder if many Filipinos would still agree with what he said because in certain ways, his words were prophetic.
Yesterday was Independence Day, and our president made today a holiday (which was a bit difficult for me because she initially announced that it was going to be a working holiday, screwing up some of my plans). Which is probably one of the few things some people appreciate from our current president.
Work
Except, of course, I’m not really one to avail of holidays (also had to work during the last holiday). If I was in a call center, I’d still be working, but get double pay. In my case, I have a photo shoot later, and it’s honestly easier to schedule something than to reschedule it.
Of course photo shoots are when I’m most tense. Will the talents show up? Will they arrive on time? Will it rain? I’m honestly at the peak of my nervousness at this point in time. The only thing that calms me is prayer. And trust in God. Which is why I pray some more. (Hey, if I smoked, I would be smoking a pack by this time.)
Job Lust
Even when I was still in college, I’d have job lust. That is, looking at other people’s jobs and wishing they were mine. It could be anything from an X-box call center agent to game designer to video game playtester to editor-in-chief of a magazine. It’s not just the prestige or leisure in working such a position, but of course the increase in salary.
I still have job lust but I know better. Other professions seem lucrative only because it’s seen from an outsider’s perspective. I mean some jobs aren’t as ideal as you expect them to be. Take the X-box call center agent. I’m sure there’s a lot of training involved, and while some people imagine you playing games all day, it is still a job and the reality is you’re still servicing customers. Or take the case of the person who has a high salary. We might think they have it easy, but I’m sure it’s difficult. Or rather, sometimes it’s optimized for their skills but not ours. What might be easy for the other person might be difficult for us and vice versa. Sometimes, that means that not everyone lands in the job that’s more suitable for them. But hey, life isn’t fair.
Of course that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking for options. I’m always on the lookout. But I think that for the bigger picture, it’s important to have a plan, whether you’re retiring by 30 or retiring by 60. Switching jobs isn’t necessarily the most optimum or most viable solution. Other options might include investing, setting up a trust fund, and the like. There are several ways to accomplish what you want, but a spontaneous decision like switching jobs doesn’t always lead to the fulfillment of your goals.
Gaming All Week
For the past two weeks, I’ve actually been playing RPGs (sometimes, it gets tiring explaining myself: not the video-game type, but the pen-and-paper one, that includes dice and books and the like) with my friends three times a week. It’s thanks to the fact that our regular GM (game master) came back from the US and will be here for the next three months (well, two months and counting). One of our players also got inspired thanks to the fact that Legend of the Five Rings 3.0 will be out soon, and he’s been hosting Deadlands as appetizer.
That actually leaves me with lots of opportunities to game, three times a week to be exact. Of course since I have work on weekdays, that means gaming time is relegated to weeknights. My sched now is wed-fri-sat for gaming. Since it’s evening and the gaming place is all the way in Makati (thank God our GM drives us home), I honestly get little sleep before going to work.
The spirit is willing but the body is weak. I want to game more, and I honestly could, but three games a week seems to be my limit, at least if I plan on reporting to work.
Thank God I’m a player. If I was a GM, I can say goodbye to free time.
Independence Day
"I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans." That was what Manuel Quezon, the first Philippine Commonwealth president said. I wonder if many Filipinos would still agree with what he said because in certain ways, his words were prophetic.
Yesterday was Independence Day, and our president made today a holiday (which was a bit difficult for me because she initially announced that it was going to be a working holiday, screwing up some of my plans). Which is probably one of the few things some people appreciate from our current president.
Work
Except, of course, I’m not really one to avail of holidays (also had to work during the last holiday). If I was in a call center, I’d still be working, but get double pay. In my case, I have a photo shoot later, and it’s honestly easier to schedule something than to reschedule it.
Of course photo shoots are when I’m most tense. Will the talents show up? Will they arrive on time? Will it rain? I’m honestly at the peak of my nervousness at this point in time. The only thing that calms me is prayer. And trust in God. Which is why I pray some more. (Hey, if I smoked, I would be smoking a pack by this time.)
Job Lust
Even when I was still in college, I’d have job lust. That is, looking at other people’s jobs and wishing they were mine. It could be anything from an X-box call center agent to game designer to video game playtester to editor-in-chief of a magazine. It’s not just the prestige or leisure in working such a position, but of course the increase in salary.
I still have job lust but I know better. Other professions seem lucrative only because it’s seen from an outsider’s perspective. I mean some jobs aren’t as ideal as you expect them to be. Take the X-box call center agent. I’m sure there’s a lot of training involved, and while some people imagine you playing games all day, it is still a job and the reality is you’re still servicing customers. Or take the case of the person who has a high salary. We might think they have it easy, but I’m sure it’s difficult. Or rather, sometimes it’s optimized for their skills but not ours. What might be easy for the other person might be difficult for us and vice versa. Sometimes, that means that not everyone lands in the job that’s more suitable for them. But hey, life isn’t fair.
Of course that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking for options. I’m always on the lookout. But I think that for the bigger picture, it’s important to have a plan, whether you’re retiring by 30 or retiring by 60. Switching jobs isn’t necessarily the most optimum or most viable solution. Other options might include investing, setting up a trust fund, and the like. There are several ways to accomplish what you want, but a spontaneous decision like switching jobs doesn’t always lead to the fulfillment of your goals.
Gaming All Week
For the past two weeks, I’ve actually been playing RPGs (sometimes, it gets tiring explaining myself: not the video-game type, but the pen-and-paper one, that includes dice and books and the like) with my friends three times a week. It’s thanks to the fact that our regular GM (game master) came back from the US and will be here for the next three months (well, two months and counting). One of our players also got inspired thanks to the fact that Legend of the Five Rings 3.0 will be out soon, and he’s been hosting Deadlands as appetizer.
That actually leaves me with lots of opportunities to game, three times a week to be exact. Of course since I have work on weekdays, that means gaming time is relegated to weeknights. My sched now is wed-fri-sat for gaming. Since it’s evening and the gaming place is all the way in Makati (thank God our GM drives us home), I honestly get little sleep before going to work.
The spirit is willing but the body is weak. I want to game more, and I honestly could, but three games a week seems to be my limit, at least if I plan on reporting to work.
Thank God I’m a player. If I was a GM, I can say goodbye to free time.
posted by Charles at 5:17 PM
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